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Does the SARS-CoV-2 spike really have an Achilles heel?
Shiv Pillai
Shiv Pillai
Published April 17, 2023
Citation Information: J Clin Invest. 2023;133(8):e168080. https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI168080.
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Commentary

Does the SARS-CoV-2 spike really have an Achilles heel?

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Abstract

The continued emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants and waning vaccine immunity are some of the factors that drive the continuing search for more effective treatment and prevention options for COVID-19. In this issue of the JCI, Changrob, et al. describe an anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike antibody, isolated from a patient, that targets a vulnerable site on the spike protein receptor binding domain when it adopts a configuration called the “up” conformation. This antibody cross-neutralized all variants studied, including recent Omicron subvariants, and was protective against multiple variants in a hamster model. These results are of interest when considering the next generation of prophylactic and therapeutic antibodies for COVID-19, but they may also shape future approaches to vaccination against SARS-CoV-2.

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Shiv Pillai

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